Deep Dive
Shownotes Transcript
Hey, it's Kristen. Let me tell you why you should be listening to Murderish, a true crime podcast hosted by Jamie Rice. Each week on Murderish, Jamie walks listeners through a true crime case in a way that makes it easy to follow along through every twist and turn of the case. Jamie leaves no detail out, and she conveys these stories with empathy in a just-the-facts manner. No banter.
On Murderish, Jamie also shares some of her own personal stories, like the time she found a strange man in her bedroom at night, which sounds like my personal worst nightmare. So add Murderish to your podcast binge list. Subscribe to Murderish on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever podcasts are available. Enjoy this clip from Murderish.
On the morning of May 26, 1990, Marlene Warren was finishing breakfast with her son and his friends when she heard a knock on their front door. The 40-year-old mother of two wasn't expecting anyone, but answered the door anyway. She was greeted by someone wearing a clown costume and white face paint, clutching a flower arrangement and foil balloons. Marlene was delighted. How pretty, she responded at the cheerful sight. Then...
Suddenly, everything changed, as moments later, the clown pulled out a gun, aimed it at her face, and pulled the trigger. The bizarre attack left the community puzzled and horrified, at a time when authorities were ill-equipped to find answers. This is Jamie, and you're listening to Murderish. Join me as I walk you through this strange case involving Marlene Warren.
This case takes us to Wellington, Florida, an affluent village in Palm Beach County located southwest of West Palm Beach. Today, Wellington is a mix of working class citizens and the rich elite, with real estate consistently ranking among the most expensive in the state. It's also been a popular spot for part-time residency by celebrities.
such as Bill Gates, Bruce Springsteen, and Tommy Lee Jones. Wellington is well known for its role in equestrian events. It's home to the Winter Equestrian Festival, the biggest and longest-running equestrian festival in the world.
The festival runs annually for 12 weeks, from January to April, and generally contributes around $300 million to the state's economy. But the way the village is now is a far cry from its early days. With the help of state legislation in the early 1950s, Charles Oliver Wellington transformed underdeveloped tracts of land.
into fertile farmland. Due to its proximity to the Florida Everglades,
severe flooding was a problem. By serving as chairman of the Acme Drainage District and overseeing the development of drainage and flood control in the area, Wellington was laying the groundwork for a thriving community. For the last two decades, Wellington has seen its population double. With the village's modern school system and immaculate playgrounds, it drew in a lot of young suburbanites
striving to raise families in a safe, serene setting. In the 1990s, while the crack cocaine epidemic plagued bigger cities, Wellington seemed to be the solution. Kathy Foster, one of the village's founders and its first mayor, captured it well to the Palm Beach Post by saying, "...at the time, we didn't lock our doors. We lived in a bubble of insulation out here."
but coastal living comes at a price. While there are rental properties, monthly rates are twice as high as the rest of the state. Homes also come at a premium. One exclusive neighborhood known as Arrow Club
would run you anywhere from $1 to $5 million to call it home. Referring to the houses in the area as palatial would be an understatement. Each estate features its own backyard grass airstrip for the residents' private jets and helicopters. It was in this posh neighborhood where Marlene Warren met her tragic and sudden end. It seemed like the least likely setting for a cold-blooded murder.
Marlene Mae McKinnon was born in Michigan on April 15, 1950. She was the middle daughter with two sisters named Debbie and Leanne. By all reports, the McKinnons moved around frequently. They spent some time around California before moving back to the greater Detroit metro. Marlene's grandfather owned a farm just north of the city, and the girls spent a large portion of their childhoods there. At some point in her adolescence,
Marlene's parents divorced. Her mother, Shirley, eventually remarried, taking her new husband, Bill Twing's, name. Marlene's youth didn't last quite as long as most. At just 15 years old, she married John Ahrens and became pregnant with their first child, John Jr. A short time later, she had their second son, Joseph. It was a joyful time that sadly wasn't meant to last. When both sons were toddlers,
John was on a business trip in Texas when he tragically died in a car accident. He was only 22 years old at the time. Marlene was left alone to care for her young children when she was barely an adult herself. Just a few years later, Marlene's life seemed to turn around.
At age 19, she met 22-year-old Michael Warren. They quickly fell in love and married in 1972. The first several months of marriage were spent in Mount Clemens, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit that was Michael's hometown. Marlene and Michael soon decided to relocate their family to Florida. Palm Beach County had less than half the amount of crime
than the Detroit suburbs, and a better education system for Marlene's boys. After settling into their new location, the Warrens began flipping houses. They would buy a house, live there for long enough to make a profit when selling it, and then they'd move on to the next.
With growing capital, they purchased land and built several rental properties. They expanded this venture to 17 buildings scattered across Palm Beach County. Marlene would manage and maintain the properties while juggling her other job as a cargo ship inspector. Before long, Michael had new ideas to expand their wealth. In the 1970s, he opened Bargain Motors, a used car dealership,
and Bargain Auto Rentals, a car rental agency. Both were located in West Palm Beach. Though the businesses were mostly successful, Michael was conducting some shady business. He eventually faced charges of odometer tampering, a third-degree felony. He was caught after two used car buyers reported him for rolling back the mileage count
and charging them more than the car's true value. After pleading guilty, Michael was sentenced to 18 months probation. Despite this legal hurdle, all of the Warrens' business ventures brought them great fortune. Soon, they were able to build their dream home in Wellington's exclusive community, Aeroport.
Arrow Club. In the late 1980s, they purchased an acre of land and built a 6,500-square-foot home. It was one of the first ever constructed at Arrow Club. Compared to mansions there today, the home was modest.
But back then, with its long circular driveway and personal airstrip, it was quite a status symbol. In 1990, Michael decided to expand Bargain Motors by moving to a bigger lot. Among his employees were repo men, people who went after customers who didn't pay and
and repossess their cars. One of these repo men was Richard Keene, otherwise known as Spud. On one notable occasion while passing through Michael's lot, Richard brought along his wife, Sheila. Sheila Keene was stunningly beautiful, with wide brown eyes that reflected a natural curiosity.
and long, dark hair. She wasn't like other women Michael had met. She was outspoken, defiant, and fearless. Hey, you guys, it's Jamie. Thanks so much for checking out Murderish. If you like what you just heard, follow or subscribe to Murderish wherever you're listening now. There are a bunch of episodes available for you to binge right now. And remember, listening to this podcast doesn't make you a murderer. It just means you're murder-ish.
If you're a facilities manager at a warehouse and your HVAC system goes down, it can turn up the heat. Literally. But don't sweat it. Grainger has you covered. Grainger offers over a million industrial-grade products for all your operations, including warehouse HVAC maintenance. And even better, they offer access to experts and fast delivery, so you and your warehouse can both keep your cool.
Call 1-800-GRANGER, click granger.com, or just stop by. Granger, for the ones who get it done.